


Rule Of Nines

by Ghosts_of_Mice



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, Gen, They mostly bump into each other but roy pulls them together for missions and chance he gets, like tiny little changes here and there, mostly team mustang know each other before the central transfer, this is a slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2019-02-01 12:37:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12705135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghosts_of_Mice/pseuds/Ghosts_of_Mice
Summary: The five times Roy saved Riza, and the one time he didn't.





	1. Kindling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rizahawkaye](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rizahawkaye/gifts).



> Slight AU, minor changes and alterations to the canon. Re-re-re-watching FMA:B and reading rizahawkaye's amazing fic Buried Alive really inspired me to write more for a show I love, and a paring I adore.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roy protects Riza during their childhood

Riza is thirteen when the boy comes to stay with them. Her father tells her he will be his newest student, and eventually he’ll learn all the secrets of his flame alchemy. Riza nods, she knows her father won’t listen to her reply.  
“You’ll need to be on your best behavior. Don’t be nosy. I’ll put up with your constant questions, but I will not have you driving away my best hope for my research. Understood?” Riza nods.  
“Good, follow me, we can squeeze another session in before he arrives.” Riza follows her father into his study. He shoves the book case aside and she settles on the bed where he sleeps as he forces ink into her skin.  
The boy arrives after her father bandages his latest work. She’s already started on dinner and simply nods to the boy as he stumbles from the car that brought him from the train station. He blinks sleepily and her father pats him on the back as they settle into the dinning room. He quizzes him on alchemy and the elements as they eat. She learns his name is Roy two weeks later when she’s bandaging a burn on his arm.  
“You need to not think of yourself, or the flames as ‘yours’ you need to think of them like a weapon, but also as if they’re a part of you… it’s not like regular alchemy, you can only tell fire what to do so long before it burns you back.” She gestures to his red arm. He nods and kisses her on the cheek. She watches as he tries to rush out of the kitchen banging his burnt arm on the chair.  
“Your face is as red as your arm.” She shouts after him. She smiles giddy to herself, she couldn’t remember the last time she shouted and someone turned back to acknowledge her.  
He’s seventeen when her father gives him his first pair of ignition gloves, Riza remembers sewing them. The special fireproof thread her father had ordered, shoving the fabric and needles towards her gruffly. He had always said she’d had manly hands. They fit Roy perfectly and she wonders what it would be like to have his hand in hers.  
Roy has just enlisted when her father falls ill. That’s what she tells everyone. The towns people smile sadly at her and Roy hold her when she wakes shaking from dreams; she can only remember the burning of the needles in her back. She’s quiet when she slips into the study, placing the plate with dinner and taking the empty one. She notes a pile of ash in the corner and is about to sweep it when a figure grabs her from behind. Her screams bring Roy into the room. His gloves on and ready to snap to her defense. Instead she recognizes the slimming figure of her father. He snarls at her to keep quiet. Mumbling how he’ll be doing the final session later. He turns to Roy.  
“Sorry, you know how women are, I must have given her a fright. Sorry for worrying you.”  
“No worries Mr. Hawkeye, sir.” Roy watches Riza as he leaves. He comes to her that night, careful of the bandages that make an appearance every four weeks. He strokes her hair and hums to her.  
“Your parents must love you a lot to send you all the way out here for alchemy training, I bet they have dinner with you every evening and ask about your day and cook for you and celebrate your birthday and-“ riza’s voice breaks off and she sobs into his chest.  
“My father sees me as nothing, I’m just a girl, just a maid and a cook and a nurse to him. I’m just staff, just meant to follow his orders. I just go into town to get food and bring supplies back. That’s all I am to him.” She shivers against the lack of blanket, but she knows the ink will bleed tonight. Riza continues to sob, mumbling about her father and fighting against the sleep that pulls her down. Roy holds her, mindful of the bandages as usual and keeps his mouth shut about his parents, he only sees his aunt when he closes his eyes and thinks of home.  
The next morning Riza takes no notice of him and he ignores her. Her father leaves the table and then turns to Roy as he stands.  
“You can see the original copy of the array tonight. It’s finally perfected and hidden where no one would dare to look. You can practice outside while I finish my research notes. Riza!”  
“Yes father.”  
“Get Roy anything he needs.” Riza nods and turns to him as her father moves to his study. She busies herself gathering a bucket of water and a cloth and bandages, even if Roy hasn’t burned himself in years.  
She’s outside when she hears the crash. Roy refuses to let her past the door of the study, going so far as to snap fire to get her to back away. He steels himself for the look of pain on her face but he only see’s anger. She shoves him viscously out of the way kneeling next to her father. She stares down numbly.  
“Call a doctor.” Roy is already down by the phone and the town doctor is over within the hour. Her father hasn’t woken up yet. The doctor gently tells her he won’t be himself if he wakes. Her father stumbles up and runs himself into the wall before Riza manages to settle him back on the couch in the sitting room. His eyes are glassy and unfocused. She pats his cheek and covers him up with a blanket as he shivers she links her fingers in his and settles on the floor to rest for a moment. Berthold Hawkeye dies hold his daughters hand. Roy brings her up to bed, gently covering her with her own blanket. He see’s a flash of ink at the base of her back and he notes it to ask about it another day. She make sit downstairs and asks how her father is doing half awake; she begins to cook breakfast. The doctor and coroner stand next to the door. Roy nods and they both bolt out. Riza turns to him.  
“I didn’t want you to deal with that, he just fell asleep, he was mumbling quiet a bit, he said, he said he loves you… he was mumbling about his alchemy and then he went quiet and said ‘Riza.. My sweet child, I love you..’ and then he smiled a little and just stopped…” Riza looks at him with tears in her eyes.  
“I organized just a small affair, just us, I figured you wouldn’t want the towns people there.” She nods and asks how he’d like his eggs. He lies and says he doesn’t mind. He winces when she laughs.  
“I can tell you’re lying, you’re awful at it you know.” Roy pales.  
‘I’ll cook them over easy, I know that’s your favourite.” She smiles again her mood lightened. Roy ignores the paranoia he feels when he thinks about what her father had truly said.  
“Roy, the array, it’s yours now, keep it safe from everyone, don’t let anyone else take her from you, she’s too useful.. Roy, my boy, the son I should have had.” Roy lets the man die clutching his daughters hand before gently removing it and picking Riza up to move her to her own bed. He casts another look at his teacher; he looks as if he could be sleeping. He looks down to Riza only fifteen and an orphan just like him. He nods to his teacher as he moves up the stairs. He’ll protect Riza, not whatever piece of paper has the original copy of the array on it. Nothing will be worth more than her.


	2. Pyre

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ishvalan War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Roy protects Riza during the war, minor PTSD- issues  
> I'm 90% sure i can only write angst-y stuff

Roy avoids listening to the screams, he snaps repeatedly almost begging the fire to burn faster. He knows he and the team he has have long overstayed their welcome in the already fragile no mans land. He looks at the piles of ash and body parts. He knows what this means. He turns to his men.  
“No man’s land no longer exists. We’re in an active war zone now. Stay alert. We’re just waiting on the trucks to bring us to base, but there’s no telling what’ll happen.” The trucks pull up moments later and Roy winces as he sends out thanks to the god whose follower’s he kills. He’s settled into the truck when it slows at a crumbling tower.  
“What’s wrong?”  
“Nothing sir! Just picking up a sniper that called in.”  
“Wow! It’s the famous Hawk’s eye! I can’t believe we’ll actually get to meet them! I heard they got brought in from cadet training because they had such good aim!” Roy ignores the sinking feeling in his gut as a hooded figure climbs on the truck. They settle next to the door and turn to stare out the back of the truck.  
“So Hawk’s Eye is it? You should at least be respectful of our commanding officer, Roy Mustang, the flame alchemist himself. Say hello!” One of the men speaks up. Roy bites his lip.  
“Happy birthday Roy.” The hood falls and Roy stares. He had told Hughes that men who wrote to their loved ones would end up dead. It was why he didn’t write. The lie he had said easy as breathing. He watches Riza, looking at her for the first time since after the funeral. He nods in thanks and turns to his men to discuss strategy. Maes Hughes interrupts.  
“Mustang, back to our earlier conversation, I’m sure you just don’t want to admit you don’t have a pretty girl back home.”  
“Maes, I have a beautiful girl, I’m not risking my chances of not protecting her.” Maes smiles and pushes the newest picture of Gracia towards Riza.  
“She’s very pretty. You must be dying to get back home to her.” Riza smiles at him.  
‘Of course! I plan on proposing when I get home. What about you Roy?” Roy is nudged in the shoulder, the other men snicker.  
“I was thinking about it, but I’m not sure.”  
“Don’t think you two are on that level yet?” Flickers of Riza leading him to the bedroom after the funeral. They’re starting to undress each other, she turns away and he see’s the ink, the deep red makes him think of burns he’s seen. Burns he’s caused and he freezes. She looks back at him and turns; she smiles before she kisses him. He can tell something is wrong. The bodies he just burnt smolder beside the bed as he watches her lay down on it. She nods to him as he readies his gloves. The snap lasts hours. The screams of a family trapped in their house, a woman trying to break down the door so her children can escape, only to have them shot by his soldiers. The screams twist into riza’s as he scars her back worse than her father did. Each part burned and taken from her back leaves him sick to his stomach. Being stuck in the war zone was a comfort; she was too young to follow him here. Roy can hear the children he’s killed screaming in his nightmares, they mix with riza’s until he’s not sure whom he’s burning anymore. He keeps her at a distance, sending her on the longest least dangerous missions he can. The team make a few comments at first but when she comes back within a day for a mission that should have taken at least a week twice in a row, they only sing her praises, and thank mustang for his strategic thinking. They accompany her to her next nest. She settles herself in for the day as the rest of the team get ready to fight the group of Ishvalan’s they’ve been told are dangerous. Roy’s in the middle of lighting a group of struggling soldiers up. He winces as some of them scatter when they see the flames. He makes it as quick as he can but he loses focus when a shot rings out and he turns to see Riza shooting at a man who’s dragged her down from her perch. Roy burns the group in seconds focusing on the man who has Riza in combat. The man is too focused on trying to hurt her he doesn’t even notice how close Roy gets before he ignites the fire.  
“Thank you sir, but I could have handled that.”  
“I know.” He laughs a little, worry creeps into it. “But who on earth would I go back to if you were dead?”


	3. Partial Thickness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roy protects Riza from herself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look more angst!

Roy finds her asleep at her desk and he’s content to let her sleep more but as he walks back with the paperwork he can hear her screaming. He turns around to find her eyes wide and unseeing her hands clapped over her mouth, and sweat beading on her forehead. He sighs, and carefully pries her hands from her mouth, careful to avoid her biting herself or him and her mouth closes and opens in another scream.  
“Wake up. It’s just a nightmare.” He’s glad they’re the last two in the office like usual and when he can see the focus returning to her eyes he breathes a sigh of relief.  
“What did you see Lieutenant.”  
“It was nothing, just a nightmare, like you said, I’m sorry to bother you sir.”  
“Riza,” She straightens herself up and pulls her coat closer to her as she makes to leave.  
“What happened during the war? I can help, we both killed, I know what that feels like. The guilt, the pain, you see them in your dreams don’t you, you hear their screams too..” Riza’s breathing is shaky when she turns around he can see tears in her eyes.  
“I see you.” She makes a beeline for the door and Roy is sprinting after her as she rounds the corner to her home. He manages to catch the door before it closes and he follows her into her house, noting the lack of anything to make it close to a home as he trails outside her bedroom.  
“Are you hurting me? Am I your target? I have nightmares like that where you-“  
“No! It’s just you, I don’t hurt you, I don’t do anything. It’s what I did, it’s the past I cant escape that I-“ She fails at choking back another sob and Roy pushes the door open wrapping his arms around her as she curls into him.  
“Shhh, Riza, it’s alright, it was just a nightmare, it wasn’t real.” She clings to him sniffling.  
“It is though. It is real, it’s my fault.”  
“What’s your fault?”  
“Everything that’s happened to you.”  
“That’s not your fault, those are my own decisions.”  
“If I hadn’t..” She trails off her face morphing into disgust as she claws at her uniform tearing it off.  
“Please just tell me what’s going on, I just want to help.” Riza turns and he see’s the array peeking from under a tank top, heavily scared and blistered from the heat of Ishval. He grabs hold of her shoulder and they sit on the edge of the bed.  
“Because of this, because of what my father did, I put you on the same path as him. I made the decision to show you I made the decision to force you to become like him. I’ve let hundred’s of people die at your hand because I did what I thought was right, and the military took you and what I gave you and used it as a tool.”  
“Riza, none of that is your fault. When you showed me, we were both kids, kids in way over our heads thinking we could better the world. Remember how excited you were when I said I was going to be in the military and help people.” Roy chuckles. Riza stops crying.  
“Or when I found out why you never wrote me?” Riza’s voice sounds hurt and Roy can’t tell if it’s form the nightmare or the memory of abandonment. She’s stopped crying and winces Roy instinctively moves his hand away from where he remembers bandages. He flushes when she puts his hand back, her weight is heavy and as Roy settles them both back onto the bed he hears her sleepily mumble his face is as red as his arm; her chuckles fade as she curls into him.  
“Sleep well, I’ll be here when you wake up.. I’ll always be here.


	4. Tinder Nest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roy protecting Riza from Ed

When Riza and Roy make it back from Resembool they settle into their routine automatically. They discuss the two boys more always in hushed tones and tense frowns. They let the rest of the team know and soon they all share knowing looks when a mission or news story hits too close to the boys. "Sir, What happened to those boys… They’ll want a report.” Havoc watches as Roy settles into his chair.  
“I know, try to make it as vague as you can. Alright Hawkeye?”  
“Sir there’s nothing to report, we just saw two boys gifted in alchemy who were in a bad accident.” Roy frowns.  
“Hawkeye. I know they’ll show up here, we can’t lie to the rest of them without dragging those boy’s into that mess.”  
“They’ve already been dragged into it by you visiting them. They’ve probably already made up their minds.”  
“It’ll be years till we see them.” Roy assures her.  
A year later Riza’s standing beside Roy as the State alchemist’s test takers file into the exam room. Riza calls each of them up and asks if they have a specialty or if they need any specific items for tomorrows test.  
“Edward Elric.” She frowns at Mustang.  
“No specialty ma’am.”  
“Alright, anything else you want the military to know?”  
“Well they never investigated the-“  
“Yes the accident you and your brother were in was not needed to be investigated by the military, it was just a bad day and horrible timing, I hope you and your brother are better.” she looks him up and down her face softens. She knows how he tries to tuck his automail arm away from other people.  
“Here” She hands him a pair of old worn gloves.  
“These are ignition gloves…”  
“It helps direct alchemy through automail.” Riza smiles at him as he tugs them on.  
“Thank you.”  
“It takes a while to get used to scars, it’s alright to cover them up till you’re okay with them.” He nods to her and starts to walk out with the rest of the hopeful alchemists.  
“Edward.” Roy calls after him.  
“We’ve been tasked with looking after you for the night. Each of the new exam students is assigned to an older state alchemist to keep them safe, and make sure they’re not doing anything illegal. Like plotting to kill an important military member.”  
“So you’re babysitting me?”  
“Yes. Follow me now, we’ll get dinner, you must be starved.” Ed follows Riza out; she leads him down hallway before stopping and holding a door for him.  
“The car right there, just wait a sec okay?”  
“Okay, but I still don’t see what taking me to dinner accomplishes.”  
“You’ll be more focused and perform better tomorrow. Do you have any idea what you’re going to do to show them you’re worthy?” Roy answers  
“Well I know I’m the youngest in the history-“  
“That wont be enough..”  
“I can create weapons without-“  
“Can you create a functioning gun?”  
“No.”  
“Useless.” The car ride is spent in tense silence and Riza recognizes the look of defeat on Edward’s face at Roy’s harsh words. As they step from the car into the hustle of central city, she can see Ed’s face widen in surprise.  
“I didn’t know so many people lived here!” he peers at the massive buildings and sprawling skyline. When they settle down to eat Riza insists he get whatever he wants. Roy frowns.  
“I’m assuming I’ll be paying for him then?”  
“Of course, you’re the one that has to look after him today.” Riza smiles and leans over to point at something on the menu to Edward.  
“I’ve heard the place has the best steak.” Roy frowns and tracks the steak prices.  
“I have to pay rent you know.”  
“One meal for a kid won’t cost you rent.” Riza looks smug as Edward orders multiple dishes. He pauses halfway worriedly looking to both Roy and Riza. They both nod to him to continue and he rounds out the order ending with a steak. After the meal Edward chews his lip and looks to Roy.  
“Mr. Mustan-“  
“Roy.”  
“Roy, I hope I didn’t cost you too much in there I’ve just never had the opportunity like this and I wanted to-“  
“It’s alright Ed, I don’t mind, all my money is doing is collecting dust in the bank right now, it’s nice to be able to spend it.” He nods and when they make it back to the apartment Roy has to all but force Edward to sleep on the pull out couch bed. Riza knows what Roy’s screams sound like, she knows how long he’s been screaming and how much he had to drink by the pitch. So when an unknown scream wakes her she rushes to the couch, to find Edward thrashing around screaming. She kneels next to the couch.  
“Ed, Ed, wake up, you’re safe. It’s alright.” She touches his shoulder and he jerks up and stares a moment before reaching out and clinging to her.  
‘”Mom.” He breathes out as his tears subside, Riza nods, and unsure if he’s fully awake, she wraps her arms around him and they stay frozen for a moment before he wakes more he shakes his head gently and furrows his brow. Riza pulls away.  
“You were screaming,”  
“Sorry! I didn’t I’m sorry.”  
“We all have nightmares Ed, I’m here if you want to talk about It..”  
“No thank you I’ll just go back to sleep.”  
“Alright, sleep well.” She stands to go back to her bed when a hand catchers her wrist. Curled under the blanket sniveling she can truly see the horror the child in her living room has gone through.  
“I’ll sit here for a bit then?” he nods shakily.  
“Anything that helps you sleep? Maybe a glass of warm milk?” Ed shakes his head and Riza moves to card her fingers through his hair.  
“Singing. Singing helps” Riza nods and gently starts singing a lullaby she remembers from her childhood.  
“O’er the hills and land I go  
Through the forests and the towns  
Keeping you safe and hidden my child  
Until you walk the ground

The crow caws calling me  
I find that I must leave “ Edward sniffles.  
“My mom used to sing that too. She, she loved to sing all the time.” Riza nods brushing his hair from his face.  
“Sleep Ed, you have a big day tomorrow.”  
“Stay, please.” He looks fearfully out into the darkness of the house.  
“Of course.” Riza smiles again before continuing the song.  
“ I will return to you my child  
Within the lions maw you grieve..”  
Ed falls asleep almost as soon as she starts singing again. She tucks him in, adding another blanket and biting her lip when she’s about to kiss his forehead. She scolds herself and does it anyways.  
“Sleep well.” She can see a now comforted smile on his face and she hopes he’ll sleep till morning.  
The next morning Ed stretches from the couch, he can already smell the eggs and bacon sizzling. “Equivalent exchange right?”  
“Huh?”  
“ I don’t tell anyone, and you don’t either. “Riza smiles at him and he nods.  
“Now, sit down and eat your breakfast, don’t want you late for your big exam.” She steals a glance down the hall where Roy’s door is closed.  
“Your ‘dad’ can take you.” She chuckles as Ed laughs as well.  
“And what’s so funny?”  
“Nothing”  
“You told him to create an alchemical kick me sign right? Like the ones I did in school.. Very funny, take it off Ed.” Edward’s eyes widen before he smirks narrowing them.  
“Sorry, Mr. Mustang, I thought it would be funny.” Riza smiles and turns back to her eggs. Roy satisfied the now very real sign is gone settles to eat his breakfast. When he gets up and motions for them to leave to go to the exam Riza nods, grateful for her ability to keep a straight face as she follows Roy out the door with a sign proclaiming he’s Colonel Bitch across his back to the car. When they get to the exam room a few chuckles are heard behind them. Roy huffs and rolls his eyes. As Edward waits to go into the room, Roy kneels down.  
“Do something they’ll remember.”  
“What did you do?” Roy chuckles.  
“My specialty is flame alchemy, however already being in the military before I was a state alchemist left a few of my team members bitter. When I went to take my test, I saw them in the viewing stands. So I burnt their clothes off.” Ed cracks a smile and Roy nods.  
“We’ll be watching you when you take your test, good luck.” Roy moves towards a staircase that extends to the upper levels. Riza hang’s back and places a hand on his shoulder.  
“Roy wont admit it, but he’s excited to see your test. He’s been blabbering on about you to the office as soon as he heard you were actually showing up. Whatever you decide to do, you’ll do it well, I’m sure.” When he charges at Bradley Roy immediately breaks out into a smile, but then returns to a neutral face. Riza chuckles and nods in approval. When Roy settles into his office chair he notes Riza has taken the stack of paper work and is slowly working on filling out most of them.  
“Riza, I can do that.” She nods, passing him half the stack of papers as she continues filling the rest out.  
“All of them..”  
“You’ll get them sooty if you get frustrated, most of these are important.”  
“So what did you think of Edward? He has guts for sure, I’ll think he’ll do wonderfully here.” Roy watches Riza’s reaction.  
“You were practically jumping out of your seat to cheer him as he charged sir.” Roy smiles fondly and Havoc snickers from across the office.  
“Roy! I heard your son did wonderfully in his state alchemy exam!!’ Hughes bursts through the doors waving a picture of his newborn Elicia. Roy blinks at him as Hughes slows down. Havoc shuffles his papers and buries his face in them as Riza watches the scene unfold.  
“Son?” He looks worriedly to Riza. Hughes pauses and backs up a couple steps.  
“Edward, the boy you kept an eye on, he’s like your son for the week.”  
“Week?”  
“Sir, in agreeing to supervise Edward you agreed to train him in the military command here, starting the minute he becomes a state alchemist. He’ll most likely end up stationed with us anyways, he’ll be required to report to you, being his superior officer.”  
“He what.”  
“Sir you know this, it was part of what got you so excited in the first place I quote ‘It’ll be great to get some fresh blood into this unit again, perfect timing we need another alchemist.’ That was you-“  
“I know.” He huffs through his nose.  
“I’m almost hoping he doesn’t get a watch.”  
“Oh come on Roy you don’t mean that, I mean your boy is downright awful putting that ‘colonel bitch’ on your back. But the rest of the unit thinks it really fits you.” Roy looks up furiously at Riza.  
“He did what?”  
“It appears he’s going through a rebellious phase, all teenagers do it sir.” Riza deadpans to him.  
“You told me that it was gone!” Roy cranes his neck only seeing a flash of bright red against his blue coat.  
“You assumed that yourself sir.” Riza catches the fondness that flashes on his face.  
“It’s a very well made sign I must admit. You knew! You knew what he did! You’re in league with him already! You’re determined to get back at me for not doing my work aren’t you! Pretty soon he’ll be gunning for my position here! I’m sure you all can’t wait till he over throws me.” Roy shouts flinging his hand dramatically up in the air, fighting to keep a smile off his face.  
“It would be nice to have someone who would do their work though. Maybe I’ll advise him how best to do it.” Havoc snickers as Roy’s expression falters.  
“After all we’ve been through, you would hurt me that deeply Hawkeye.”  
“Well sir, if you finished your paperwork I wouldn’t dream of it.”  
Roy grumbles but settles into filling out paperwork with a smile on his face. The door bangs open again and Ed rushes in, stumbling over the rug. He’s beaming holding a silver pocket watch and a slightly crumpled letter in his hand. Fury is the first to congratulate him. Roy watches Riza patting him on the shoulder beaming at him. He can tell her hand lingers too long; she pushes him towards Hughes and he knows the look on her face is pride at Edward’s accomplishments. He lets his mind trail to the idea of Riza bringing their son or daughter around the office with the same pride, the same joy. He bites the idea down, he can’t let her be such an open target, and he’d never want to put her or their child in such danger. He quells the thoughts for now by joking with Havoc and Hughes about his adopted son’s accomplishments. Ed falters for a moment, his face twists into shock. Roy explains the joke and he catches the defeated look in his eye, and the ache in Riza’s face.  
When Ed is asleep on the couch again and Roy sits at the table finishing paperwork Riza finally looks him in the eye.  
“What you said earlier, about him being your ‘adopted son’ you know what he thought right?”  
“Of course, I know that look anywhere.”  
“Roy, you saw what he accomplished what he’ll have to go through, he’s only 13, he’s the-“  
“I know. I know he’s the same age as me and I know he’s technically an orphan and that he’ll need someone to look out for him and his brother while they’re here and while they do their research. Look at us; we can’t be that for him. I know how badly you want to, but we can’t. We can’t put him in dangers like that and we can’t risk either of us loosing our positions. What would I do without you in my office everyday?”  
“Drown under paperwork.” She glances towards the couch as Ed shifts under the blankets.  
“ Riza, you can’t. For your own sanity, for your own good. Let nothing come of it, please.” She nods casting her eyes back to the paper work; she pulls a grouping of papers and rips them in half before tossing them into the wastebasket in her kitchen.  
Roy attempts to look at the abandoned papers, but her hand stops him  
“You told me to let nothing come of it.” He nods as the pair retreat to their bedrooms. Roy is roused not by screams but by a quiet song. He listens for a moment before peering through the kitchen doorway to see Riza on the floor by the couch singing. He watches her for a moment before his attention turns to the wastebasket. He sighs under his breath, casting another look back to Riza singing softly, he turns from the scene and from the torn adoption papers to go back to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight alterations to canon: When an alchemist applies to become a state alchemist they're required to have another state alchemist "sponsor" them. Pretty much to make sure they're not going to kill anyone and also so they wont be too nervous and flunk the exam. The 'sponsor' then travels with the 'student' to central to take the test, they're sent out a letter and if they pass their watch. Roy was kinda a dick in this, but parental Riza is one of my favourite things, I feel like her and Roy would be very reluctant parents to their own children, the thoughts of all they've experienced, from their own parents and throughout the war, I imagine them being worried their own children would be exposed to that, other people kids however... what I'm saying is I believe they spoil any children they come in contact with rotten.


	5. Incendiary Maintenance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roy protects Riza from a following/cult of alchemists who are determined to gain the secrets of flame alchemy by using Riza as bait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly don't even know how any of this would fit into canon but it'll work itself out. Also this was technically the first chapter I wrote, hence why it's so much longer than the others.

Riza Hawkeye has been missing for three months seventeen days and five hours. Roy stares down the watch on his wrist and when it loops past the twelve he moves forward into the house.  
“Basement right? Its always the basement.” Havoc scowls at the door leading down. Roy’s about to step forward when Fury stops him and shakes his head. Roy huffs and shoves past him stomping down the basement steps he’s confronted with an empty research lab, books and papers are shoved into a corner, and half an alchemy circle is scrubbed from the floor. Chains are hanging on the wall, a smear of blood behind them. Havoc and Fury come down a moment later.  
“The rest of the house is clear. Thanks to Breda and Falman, they care about our safety.” Havoc jokes.  
‘This was the best lead we had and we’re too late, just like last time.” Roy snarls at them.  
“We get it, we all miss her, we don’t like it anymore than you Roy.” Havoc places a hand on his shoulder. Roy shakes it off and moves to look closer at the blood on the wall.  
“This is a burn.”  
“It’s blood..”  
“No, it’s a burn. Someone burned this wall.” Roy moves forward and slams his fist next to the burn.  
“Someone knows flame alchemy, and they’re taunting me.” Roy covers his face with his hands and drags them down. He sighs and looks to his team.  
“We’ll call it a day for now, there’s no sense over-tiring ourselves right now, we should all get home and rest.” He nods to the rest of the group and they all file out of the basement. Roy walks over to the stacks of books, he kicks them and looks at the pages as a few fall open. He chokes when he see’s his own handwriting scrawled in the margins of his teacher’s books. He reaches for the nearest one, but pauses. He crouches and reads his handwriting, his notes scrawled out so the words blur together at points, he had written in code, it looks to be odd fragments; a students bored rambling. He takes in the scribbles in the margins; how he was trying to recreate the basic alchemy circles his teacher had shown him. He takes a deep breath, standing up before snapping his fingers burning them to ash. He retreats from the basement and lets Havoc guide him to the car and back to his house. His mind is already miles away. He slumps into the couch and Havoc lingers at the door. Roy looks up as the door starts to close. He does not see havoc leave, instead he see’s Riza’s father shutting door to the study for the last time. He see’s Riza and him standing at the funeral, the grave nestled in between them. Riza smiles at him. She offers him the study for a workroom; she says how she doesn’t want to be in the house. He nods automatically. All the books, the years of research will be his now, he’ll finally be able to unlock the secret of flame alchemy, the true power of it. He’s calculated when he spends days going through each book, looking for the array his teacher only showed him in glances. He frowns when Riza tells him to go to bed. He shrugs her off. She asks if he wants to truly be a flame alchemist and he is so taken aback he nods dumbly.  
“I can show you the array, if you really want it, you need to understand what horrors it can cause, what it does to people, you know what happened to my father, I don’t want to see anyone else go through that. Once you know the array, promise me you’ll burn it, you’ll destroy the worst parts of it… please. I can’t let anyone end up like him.” The silence that follows before he nods leaves the impression she was going to say more. _I can’t let that happen to you._ He see’s it in her eyes when he nods.  
“Of course, I’ll destroy it, it wouldn’t be any good to leave something so destructive out like that.”  
She nods and pulls him towards the bedroom he spent his lessons in. Roy pulls back. Riza turns her head and quirks an eyebrow at him. She laughs when she see’s the blush on his face.  
Roy wakes up with his neck stiff and his arm numb. He shoves himself up from the couch and reaches for the phone that woke him.  
“Sir, we found another lead, a different basement this time, you’re right. They are burn marks.” When Roy makes it to the scene half the house is gone, smoke lazily drifts upwards and scorch marks lick up the timbers that are still standing. Placed in the center of what is left of the basement is part of an array circle carved into the stone this time. Roy notes none of his books are there this time.  
“It looks like they didn’t get to finish it before the flames lit the place up.”  
“Sir!” Breda makes his way over his face pained as he holds up part of Riza’s torn military jacket with blood on it. Roy smirks and chuckles.  
“Roy she was injured!” Havoc smacks him on the back.  
“The blood is damp, it means she was here, and she’s alive.” Havoc watches him as he walks closer to the scene. He can see sooty footprints, shoe stamps of men and a pair of bare feet that pause walking to become a dragged line.  
“She’s not wearing shoes, she might have left the jacket part to let us know where she was. I can’t see much blood so I don’t imagine she’s gravely injured. How does this fit into our previous trail?” A figure peers out from the house and Roy snarls about to snap as Havoc pulls a gun and fires a shot in his leg. The man falls down into the crumbling basement. Roy sneers as he readies his flames again.  
“Boss, wait, we can get information out of him, can’t do that if he’s flame grilled.” Havoc mock salutes him before skidding down to bring the man up. Roy smiles darkly as the man stares him in the face.  
“Where is she.”  
“She’s been moved, we’re always one step ahead..,” the man laughs and coughs, he has a massive burn creeping up his side. His shirt is burnt into his skin and Roy can see a rib partially exposed.  
“You were left because you’re useless to them.” Roy states blankly.  
“They left you to die, the least you can do is be useful one last time.” The man pales when Roy holds up his gloved hand.  
“I’ll let you know two things.” He chokes out fearfully. Havoc raises an eyebrow.  
“One, we have a better alchemist, they don’t even need gloves. Two there’s a very nice café around the corner, where was the house we were in before.”  
“That café is a dead end, we already know it’s halfway between these two houses, it’s how we were stalking this place. We saw the transport vehicle, tell us where it went. It’ll be quick I promise.” The mans laughter turns to shrieks after Roy snaps.  
“Well another dead end.”  
‘Sir, they said the alchemist didn’t need gloves, is that possible?”  
“They would need to be a state alchemist to have access to that type of research, and no gloves means it’s likely no transmutation circle, who ever they are, they may have performed a human transmutation.” Roy settles into his chair, which Havoc spreading out the most recent map.  
‘We saw the car move off in this direction. So we need to assume it didn’t double back or take a false path. We can safely say it’s going out east at least for a bit. But then we’d need to get squad, or patrols out almost constantly..” Roy nods.  
“Havoc, Falman take the first patrol, you’ll take notice of anything odd right? We’ll assume they’re in the first city closest to Central, we’ll work our way out from there, it’s all we have for now.”  
They camp out in the hotel down the street from the train station. Ms. Holden, the owner of the hotel, who is painfully kind offers them too much food and a limitless supply of coffee, the second of which the team promise to repay her for. She shrugs them off blathering on about how she’s grateful to help the military.  
“Just last week my two girls were saved by one of yours she was a bit injured, I patched her up real quick, but she vanished before I could get her to eat something, such a sweet woman I wish she’d come back and visit during the day, she only comes at night. She seems to be a bit paranoid. I told her she could stay here free of charge to hide from whomever she needs to but she refused to put me in danger. Such a kind sweet thing. Oh! She gave me this, for a Mr. Roy Mustang. Do any of you know him?”  
“I’m Roy Mustang.” Roy steps forward.  
“Oh wonderful! Here!” She hands him a letter. Scrawled at the top, over his teenage scribbles are the words “Burn after reading.” He rakes his eyes over the letter, squinting as some of the letters overlap the printed text.  
‘Sir, what is it?”  
“She’s here. In the town.” Havoc grabs at Roy but he’s already charging out the door tugging his gloves on.  
“It will do you no good to run out like this, no one knows we’re here besides Ms. Holden. We lay low and hope she manages to get out again.” Falman jerks his arm leading him back inside. Roy frowns and melts himself into the massive armchair by the window to brood. It’s Breda who rouses him from sleep, gesturing for him to be quiet when he sees the light from the kitchen door.  
“Well miss, I’m sure you can spare a few hours, I know they all seem very desperate to see you, especially that Mr. Mustang, he bout ran through half the town if his other friend hadn’t stopped him. Now then, let’s get that cut cleaned up and we’ll get you some warm food. If you don’t mind I’ll tell your friends you stopped by tomorrow, a couple of them are asleep in the main room there, if you want to take a peek.” The door opens a sliver and Roy squints to try to see a glimpse of her. Ms. Holden comes into his view as the door opens fully, and he catches a streak of blonde hair before it vanishes behind the closing door. He stands up stumbling half awake to the door, as he opens it he sees another flash of blonde sliding out the window. He turns and runs to the front door, sprinting towards the side of the house where the window was. He can see footprints leading off into the city, but the bricks stop the trail. He groans and steps towards the path.  
“Not a wise idea sir.” It’s Fury, who’s come to bring him back.  
“The foot prints will be here in the morning, we’ll look then, you can’t go running around in military clothing. It will give us away, and they’ll leave, with her. We want her back just as much as you. It’ll be alright.” Roy turns to study Fury as they make their way back. He’s a bright young man, eager to learn and already immersing himself in a job where he can do what he loves. Roy tries not to think of how familiar Fury’s life is. A young boy hoping to work in the military to better it from the inside. He laughs at how foolish it sounds now. Fury looks at him confused.  
“Sir?”  
“All my work has done has gotten the people I care about put in danger, Kain, don’t be like me, keep your head down, keep everyone you love safe.” Roy watches as Fury studies him. As they make it towards the house he can see the shapes of the rest of his team standing in the door. Fury makes his way towards them. Motioning for Roy to move ahead of him.  
“I intend to sir.” Roy nods as the team make their way back inside. Each of them casting hopeful glances towards the town.  
Roy shifts against the casual attire he’s wearing to go walk around the town. Havoc smirks his usual cigarette tense in his mouth as he lights it. Fury bounds in front of them crooning about the mechanic shop up the street. He’s peering in the window talking to Falman about some sort of radio. Breda peers at the café’s menu nodding to the waitress that Jean tries to flirt with. Roy relaxes watching his team move around the town’s main street as if it’s a day off, he knows he can keep them safe for now. He turns to quip something to his left and stares at the empty spot. He clenches his fist and walks up towards Falman and Fury.  
“Chief!” Havoc shoves him roughly forward and Roy whips around to see a man holding a gun up.  
“Come with me. You want to see your Lieutenant right?” Roy nods and steps forward when suddenly his team flanks him.  
“We’ll be going with you two of course.”  
“Of course. Wouldn’t want you all to miss the main event. It took us quiet a while to get her out here. The other teams had a bit of trouble for some reason. No way she was as much trouble as they’re making it out to be.” He walks turning around and slipping down the back alley.  
“The team that had her first in the basement didn’t keep her drugged at all, they just kept her chained, hence the chains I’m sure you saw on the walls apparently she managed to get out of them within an hour and had two of them dead before she tried to run for it. They gave her up to the second team, and man, that second house was a mess. None of them good at listening. The second house, I don’t even know how they mucked that up so badly, one of the men said they gave her adrenaline instead of a sedative and they managed to knock over the gasoline that was stored in the basement as well so she got out, and lit the place up with matches. Fuckin’ idiots. Who the fuck doesn’t search her when she comes in. I mean she ain’t too bad looking wouldn’t mind a personal search either.” He winks at the group.  
“Alright tough crowd I see. Well we’re almost here so don’t panic.” Roy frowns but then realizes that they’re slowly being flanked by at least ten men.  
“Just through this door.” The door opens and Roy see’s a large steel box in the center.  
“Open it, she’s been in there long enough.” Roy tenses when part of the box slides up, letting a small wave of water splash onto the floor, it travels down into a drain. Riza claws her way out of the box snarling.  
“I swear to fucking god the minute I dry off I’ll..” she tenses when Roy appears in her field of vision.  
“Roy.. Jean, oh no… Falman.. Fuck what are you all doing here, seriously Fury, Breda, how on earth did he convince you all to show up here. I don’t want to know. We’ll discuss this later. Roy, can you dry me off I’m freezing.” Riza shivers, soaking wet her shirt and pants cling to her, her hair falls in strips molding to the sides of her face and her forehead.  
“Don’t you dare, or we’ll have all of you blown to smithereens. I’m sure you have some questions for us, Mr. Mustang.. You may ask them as you please, the rest of you are free to ask as well. I’m sure it’ll be a comfort having everything explained before you die.” Jean opens his mouth but Roy cuts in front of him.  
“What were you doing with all my school books?”  
“Trying to learn the secrets of flame alchemy, power like that could get us anything we want at the snap of our fingers. Isn’t that how you got so high up, General? Imagine it, we would simply have to have the threat even, not even be able to do it.” Riza sneezes and the man sighs. He motions for another man to step forward. This man scurries forward handing Riza a large blanket.  
“What was the tank you kept her in just now?”  
“Transport, it’s a sensory deprivation tank as well, good for getting information out.” The man laughs; Riza drapes the blanket over herself and watches the man walk towards her.  
“She told us exactly where to find her fathers array, you need to be more careful about hiding your old school work Mustang.” The man gestures to the four pages tacked up against the warehouse wall. Dark graphite lines that have smudged with age very clearly illustrate a basic transmutation circle, addition lines in blue ark and curve within the circle giving it sharp angles and boxes the center has a salamander crudely drawn in it. He walks over to it. Roy bites down on his lip and stares intently at the circle depicted on the wall.  
“Well Hawkeye I thought you were stronger, but leading them straight to the most powerful version of my alchemy circle was weak. I am ashamed to call you my Lieutenant. Havoc, we can’t let any of these people use this circle, it would destroy us all with one use..” he looks sideways at Havoc who stares grimly.  
“Chief, why don’t you have this circle on your gloves then.”  
“It’s simply to powerful to use, the results, I don’t even want to think about the pain it would cause us, boil our blood from our bodies, burn strips of our skin away. Just awful painful stuff. I wouldn’t dare use it on anyone.” One of the men from the group laughs as he steps aside to reveal the circle drawn in chalk, Fury is pushed forward and Havoc struggles but Roy holds him back.  
“What are you doing! They’ll kill him!” Fury is stood directly in front of the circle with the man grinning at him.  
“I’m going to beat the flame alchemist at his own game! I’ll be more powerful than he or his teacher ever were!” He claps his hands pressing them to the circle. The blue lights up but suddenly it fizzles out before a massive wall of flame washes over the man like water.  
“Did I mention it rebounds?” Roy smirks. The mans screaming dies down and the group look viscously over to Roy.  
“Now, you’ll be letting us leave and disbanding your little play group.” The man who brought them in laughs again, he steps closer to Riza and she tenses.  
“Well you all can leave, but Ms. Hawkeye here is just to pretty to say goodbye to..” He places a hand on her shoulder. Roy waits tense.  
“Duck!” He can hear Fury shout he moves down without thinking and see’s a very mechanical looking fake bomb tossed into the center of the room over the alchemy circle.  
“Who the fuck didn’t check ‘em for weapons!” the man standing by Riza snarls, dragging himself and her back farther into the warehouse. Roy and his team move forward surging through the men who try to run form the bomb threat. It beeps a warning and they scramble faster towards the door. Roy snaps, stopping the group’s retreat. He doesn’t even register’s their screams. They make it deeper into the warehouse. They can hear faint shouting. They make it to a back room and realize there’s no way out but the way they came. They peer into the room seeing the man that has Riza backed into a corner.  
“I can’t understand why two of the greatest and most powerful alchemist’s in existence would ever trust anything of theirs to a woman. Such a shame I’m sure your father would have preferred a son he could have taught instead of just a girl to tidy up.” Roy winces when he see’s riza’s face. She looks the man dead in the eye.  
“My father thought that too, how alike you both are, so driven by the thought of flame alchemy, it’s driving you mad. I’m sure it’s caused you to do unspeakable things. My father just like you was willing to do anything to keep his secret hidden. It will stay that way.” She nods to Roy and he motions to snap and burn the man, but a clap rings out at the man smirks Roy’s fingers separated by thick steel. Havoc motions to pull his gun out but realizes it was lost in the commotion of fury’s fake bomb, the rest of the team look worriedly as the man smirks and starts to laugh, “You’ll have to bring me back into town wont you? Have to march with me through the streets and find a way to subdue me without causing too much damage, a head injury would get any confession thrown out… no matter how powerful your alchemy make you, you’ll never be able to pin this on me.” Roy looks helplessly up but finds Riza drying off her hair.  
“There, all dry. Think I did a good job of keeping you talking.” She smirks at him. He turns about to make some comment towards her. Roy hears the click of a lighter and snaps automatically, burning the man’s leg. “Looks like you’ll have to be carried back.” The man’s eyes become glassy with shock as he stares at the wall.  
“When did you even get a lighter?” Breda watches her as he hefts the man up on his shoulder.  
“I’m never without one.” Fury frowns and asks,  
“What’s the point of it when Roy can just use his alchemy anyways, you two are never apart.”  
“Well it sure saved our asses today.”She smiles back at fury who relaxes and laughs. As they make their way out Riza moves to stand at Roy’s left. He relaxes, watching his team move through the town. He knows he’ll be able to keep them safe with his queen back.


	6. Lower Flammability Limit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh look the cult is back, what a shocker....I have another ending for this but I ended up cutting it because I didn't think it fit properly

When Riza’s eyes adjust to the darkness of the basement she registers the burn and the chains on the wall. She winces when the lights flood into her eyes.  
“Well you’re not who we were expecting.” She see’s the man that kidnapped her standing next to Roy’s unconscious body. Roy has a bruise over his eye but other than that he seems unharmed. She can see his hands are bound, covered in cloth to prevent him using his alchemy.  
“We were expecting his entire team this time.”  
“They’re outside blocking off the perimeter. I asked to go in alone.” Roy stirs slightly but does not show signs of waking. Riza breathes a sigh of relief.  
“That’s a surprise, I would expect you to be begging him to wake up.”  
“I don’t want him to be awake for this…”  
“For what?”  
“Me telling you my fathers secret, if you know it you have no need for him, and you can let us leave.”  
“Why should I trust you?” the man sneers at her.  
“He’s saved me more times than I can count, the least I can do is repay him once.” The man takes this information in and nods slowly. He hauls Roy up and shoves him against the stairs where he flops and lays still. Riza can hear Jean nearing the staircase.  
“Make this quick.” The man hisses.  
“I plan to.” The man nods eagerly waiting for her to tell him. He screams when he feels a bullet puncture his arm. Another hits his chest and he feels the burn of the bullet holes as they etch themselves into his flesh. He still stands, swaying, trying to staunch the bleeding of the most deadly wound. He touches his hands to his chest and screams again when he comes into contact with burned flesh that surrounds the wound. Riza waits for the man to stop screaming. She sighs and steps forward swiping her foot under the man’s legs. As he falls to the ground she tugs the bindings from Roy’s hands at the same time Havoc comes running down the stairs. The man lays still and unmoving, Roy stirs as Havoc slowly sits him up.  
“What happened?”  
“Roy, burned him, and then fell unconscious, we should get out of here..” Riza casts her eyes to the mans body, and takes in the extent of the burned flesh. She knows if he’s not dead now he will be soon. The amount of blackened flesh will easily become infected. She turns back to Havoc who’s slowly moving Roy up the steps. Roy is more awake, blinking his eyes and rubbing his head slowly. Havoc, moving slower than a snail, guides him up the steps, keeping a firm hold on him as he stumbles over each step.  
“Roy just relax, we’ll be out of here soon.”  
“Riza, help him, he wont listen to me.” Havoc frowns at her as they stand in the living room.  
“Roy.” She’s quiet, gently reminding him what happened, how he fell unconscious after saving her. He nods, his pupils contracting and expanding too fast even in the murky light that flickers in between the cloud cover. She nods to havoc as her motions to the first aid kit.  
“We’ll get him to the hospital now. He just seems to have a concussion.” The team nods and Falman and Breda lead him off.  
“Riza, what happened in there..”  
“I-“ Fury watches her.  
“Riza, what happened, those burns, Roy, he wasn’t responsive when I got down we would have heard him, Riza..”  
“He woke up, burned the man and then whatever’s going on happened and- it’s just as I said.” She notes the panic creeping in her voice and hopes they assume it’s because of what just happened. They seem to leave her alone, but she see’s Havoc talking to Breda as she sits with Roy in the hospital chairs.  
“Sir, how are you feeling?” Riza asks after the doctor gives him the all clear. She’s driving the car back to his place.  
“I didn’t save you.”  
‘Sir, of course you did. I don’t know exactly how coherent you are, or how much you remember but I owe you my life.”  
Roy nods and she helps him into his house settling into the couch to make sure he only sleeps for a few hours at a time and to monitor him. Riza showers when she gets him to sleep next, wiping the dirt and violence from her skin. Her fingers ghost over her back she can feel the raised lines from the tattoo and the soft skin from the burns. She remembers the conversation she had with Roy before he burned her as she settles into bed.  
"Roy, I need you to destroy the array, like you promised, you're the only one who knows it so once its burned you'll be the only one who can re-create it."  
"Alright, just show me where it is." He nods to her as she leads him towards her father's study. She pushes a bookcase aside and Roy peers into the alcove the bookcase hid. He sees a bed and a few books. Riza to his shock begins unbuttoning her top. She stands facing him and he stares at her.  
"Riza, the array, I’m here to destroy that." he doesn’t let himself look. He avoids her affections, her sweet words at night; he knows men who have sweethearts don’t make it home. She had stopped when he enlisted, she knew too. She nods to him, turning around and letting her top fall to the ground. Roy blanks his face of the disgust he feels. The bright red lines and swirls that cover almost her entire back are seared into his eyes. He knows this array is what gives him his alchemy.  
"Roy, please. I cant risk anyone else finding it." he wants to tell her no one will look there because he'll be the only one in her life who will be that close. He knows that would hurt both of them more. He nods numbly and lets himself point to the bed. She lies down, she can hear him apologizing over and over and she wants to turn over and feel the warmth of his body on hers; instead she feels the ache and warmth as the fire licks her skin. She holds back screaming as long as she can.  
When she stands up after she feels the lines burn as if they were just put in. she's lead to the mirror and sees that Roy burned away the most dangerous parts. She thanks him and then he cleans the burns and leaves her for the rest of the day. He returns that night crawling into her bed and stroking her hair. She’s sleepily watching him and she smiles before placing more covers over him.  
"Sleep Roy, you have a big day tomorrow, your state alchemy exam is going to be tough."  
"I don’t know if.."  
"Please, you could be great with it, there’s a reason my father chose you to teach, he always said you had fire in your eyes, that he knew no matter what happened you’d be willing to learn from it." she curls into him falling back asleep.  
"I don’t know if there’s anything to be learned from hurting anyone I love especially you.” he mumbles into her hair as she sleeps. She just holds him tighter.  
She wakes up confused when she’s on a couch. Roy walks in, holding a coffee mug he refuses to admit is hers, and nodding.  
“Yes I’m fine, don’t worry you woke me up at all the proper times.”  
“I know I did Roy.”  
“Sorry I was just checking because last night you kept saying how I saved you which is bullshit.” Riza frowns into her coffee.  
“We should go, the team will be worried about you.” Riza swigs most of her coffee down and stands beside the door, Roy sighs and follows her out the door.  
“No driving, doctors orders.” Roy rolls his eyes but settles into the passengers seat without complaint. When they make it through the office doors, the team look up bewildered. Riza ignores the looks they give her. Roy doesn’t bring it up. No one breathes a word of him having to be saved by his team. By Riza.  
“I told you, Roy-“  
“No. Stop lying to me.” Riza winces at how hurt Roy sounds.  
She watches Roy as he sluggishly responds to her standing in front of him. He presses a hand to his head.  
"It seems you have some explaining to do Lieutenant.,” he barks out to her, wincing at his own volume. Riza is startled, since the promised day she can’t remember him calling her lieutenant anymore. It has always been Riza or Hawkeye. She nods slowly. Her voice is quieter than necessary.  
"Sir, what do you want me to explain?"  
"You know damn well what! What the fuck happened in that basement. That man was covered in burns that left him dead. You're the only person who knows what happened."  
"Sir, roughly 18% of him was covered in burns that’s not even a fifth-" Roy glares at her.  
"It's just like I told you sir. You woke up burned him the fell back unconscious." her voice sounds harsher than she meant and she knows it when Roy looks startled.  
"Lieutenant. Explain now," his voice softens “I know what happened I went down their to keep you all safe and I got whacked on the head and wasn’t able to protect any of you. I failed. I want to know who succeeded, who helped, who saved everyone.” Riza takes a shaky breath in.  
“I always pick up you slack sir.” Roy nods. Prompting her to talk more Riza nods to the rest of the team who have managed to creep closer. She sighs, a bubble of almost hysterical laughter forces its way out of her mouth.  
"I always pick up your slack sir. Just like I said before."  
"You can use flame alchemy then? You expect everyone to accept that? To just go along as if nothing has changed?"  
" I have to protect you, just as much as everyone here does, just as much as you protect us. In order to do that I hid it, I hid what you did, I hid what my father taught me. Of course, I wasn’t stupid enough to use it around anyone, especially my father, but what he did, he didn’t just secure the array's safety, the ink he used, when you burned it. It just scared my skin. My father, he didn’t just tattoo his array onto me to hide it, he made me into it.”


End file.
